SolarCity slashes Buffalo factory commitment

SolarCity has sharply reduced its job creation commitment for the solar panel manufacturing plant under construction in Buffalo from 1,460 to 500 jobs, according to state records and filings the company has submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The company remains committed to a total of 1,460 jobs in Buffalo, but the majority of them will not be employed at the plant. Documents do not specify what kind of jobs they might be.

“They’re undefined. They could be supply, sales, support,” said Kady Cooper, Director of Communications for SolarCity.

In addition, a previous commitment to help create 1,440 supply chain jobs around the state – many, presumably in Buffalo – is no longer listed as an obligation in the SEC filings. Instead, the company is obligated to create a total of 2,000 jobs within five years of the plant opening and 5,000 within 10 years statewide. The plant is three-quarters complete and construction is scheduled to wrap up in September.

The changes have been noted in the details of public documents since last fall, but have not been otherwise disclosed by state or SolarCity officials.